Garment pattern



Sept. 24, 1940. H. B. uommme GARMENT PATTERN Filed Nov. 15, 1938 w a M Jw My n E A m Z MW Patented Sept. 24, 1940 PATENT" OFFICE- GARMENT PATTERN Henry B. Donning, New York, N. Y., assignor to National Pattern 00., Inc., New York, corporation of New York I N. Y., a

Application November 15, 1938, Serial No. 240,445

12 Claims.

This invention relates to garment patterns and particularly to devices of this character wherein the lay and cutting of various garment pieces in the making of a complete garment may be materially simplified and rendered substantially fool-proof, and further wherein various garment parts represented by the pattern pieces on the unitary pattern may be economically cut from the goods employed; and the object of the invention is to provide a garment pattern of the character described wherein means is provided in and constitute an integral part of predetermined pattern sections for lengthening or shortening such pattern sections or pieces to corre- 15' spondingly lengthen or shorten the garment piece to be cut from such altered pattern; a further object being to provide a lengthening and shortening means of the character described as applied to an elongated unitary pattern sheet 90 having a plurality of pattern sections arranged longitudinally thereof wherein predetermined pattern sections are provided with said lengthening and shortening means; a further object being to provide a lengthening and shortening means of the character described consisting of an irregular marking arrangedtransversely of the pattern section and so characterized as to distinguish this marking from any other marking or representation on the pattern section or the complete sheet. Still further my invention resides in a marking of the character described forming what might be termed a mortise and tenon. coupling between independent parts when the pattern section is severed, and further in providing printed orother markings to indicate relative adjustment of the separate parts one with respect to the other; and with these and other objects in View, which are more fully hereinafter set forth, the invention consists in a pattern device of the class and for the purpose specified, which is simple in construction, efiicient in use, and which is constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of an assembled unitary pattern sheet. made according to the invention with parts of the construction broken away.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of one end portion of one sheet of the pattern as seen in to k 55 Fig.1, detached.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view diagrammatically indicating the arrangement of the pattern upon a folded fabric.

Fig. 4 is a detail view diagrammatically showing the outline of a part of a pattern showing the normal size position thereof..

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4- showing the same pattern in a lengthened size adjustment.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the same pattern in a shortened size adjustment.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing two joined pattern sheets prior to the separation thereof along perforated lines, and

Fig. 8 is a detail View of one edge portion of the complete sheet illustrated in Fig. 7 but shown in an open or extended position. I

In the consideration of garment patterns of the type and kind under consideration, it has been a more or less conventional practice to pro- M vide a layout of the respective pattern pieces on a pattern sheet to simplify the cutting of the desired garment parts from the fabric or piece goods employed. It has also been known to arrange elongated pattern strips or sheets of this character upon a folded workpiece or fabric and in arranging certain of the pattern pieces along what is identified as the fold edge of the fabric so as to form the two united halves of certain garment pieces in a single cutting operation. In these known methods of procedure, considerable difiiculty has been experienced in the lengthening and shortening of certain of the garment parts, and while many eiiorts have been made to accomplish this result, most of such efforts have been complicated in construction and diflicult for the average layman to understand, thus causing considerable trouble and oftentimes destroying the resulting garment pieces which results in a loss rather than in a saving in the making of a complete garment.

It is the primary purpose of the present invention to provide a pattern wherein each pattern piece which requires lengthening and/or shortening is provided with a simple and readily understandable means for lengthening or shortening the pattern piece prior to cutting the garment part in the use of said pattern piece, and still further in providing such lengthening and shortening means as will maintain proper alinement .of severed pattern sections when lengthened and/or shortened.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing is diagrammatically illustrated an elongated pattern stripwith parts of the construction broken away. This strip,

which is designated by the general reference character [0, is formed from three pattern sheets ll, I2, [2a. The sheet H is formed independently of the sheets [2, l2a whereas the sheets l2, l2a are formed in one large sheet joined centrally and longitudinally in a perforated or scored line l3, note Fig. '7. Before opening the sheets l2, l2a for endwise attachment, it is recommended that these sheets be severed by simply tearing or pulling apart along the perforated line [3. The purpose of this arrangement is to avoid confusion in the assembling of pattern sheets as well as to facilitate the printing of the respective sheets. It will be understood that the sheet ll, when folded together with the folded and coupled sheets l2, [2a, will be arranged in an envelope for mailing andfor sale to the customer.

One end of the sheet I! is provided with spaced semi-circular alinement marks l4 adapted to register with a corresponding spacing of marks Ma. on one end of the sheet l2. Adjacent edges of the sheets ll, l2 are overlapped and glued, pinned or otherwise secured together. The sheet |2a is provided withmarkings 05 in a different arrangement than the markings l4 and adapted to register with correspondingly arranged markings I Ed at the other end of the sheet l2, and

adjacent edges of the sheets l2, l2a are overv lapped and secured together in the same manner thus producing one long pattern sheet or strip H), which when assembled, as indicated in Fig. 1, may be rolled up beginning with the outer end of the sheet l2a so that the free end of the sheet I I forms the free end of the roll. This facilitates the initial lay of the pattern strip upon the fabric I6 after the fabric has been folded centrally and longitudinally on the line lfia to provide a double thickness of the fabric throughout the length of the pattern strip. In this connection it Will of course be understood that the width of the folded fabric will be substantially the same as the width of the strip, and due instructions will be given for the purchase of the required width of material to accomplish this result so as to avoid any waste of material. Here again it will be understood that patterns may 'be provided to suit different standard widths ofmaterials. t is preferred that the free end portion of the sheet H have suitable instructions and illustrations thereon for guiding the individual in the use of the pattern, and part of this instruction section is diagrammatically illustrated at I! in Fig. 1.

Continuing from this end, the various pattern sections representing various garment parts to be cut from the fabric [6, are arranged longitudinally of the strip Ill and in a compact relationship one with respect to the other in order to economize as much as possible on the amount of material necessary to form the complete garment, while at the same time arranging the several pattern pieces or sections in such manner as to provide the proper run of the fabric therethrough, and further to be consistent with all other tailoring practices which will simplify, to the average housewife, the layout and cutting of dress patterns and eliminate the faulty cutting of the garment parts from the piece goods employed.

It will be noted that certain of the pattern sections or pieces extend from one sheet onto an adjacent sheet, for example, from the sheet ll onto the sheet l2, and from the sheet [2 onto the sheet l2a. However, this need not necessarily occur in all types of garments to be formed, it being understood that the layout would vary in the different stylings of garments.

Predetermined garment sections or pieces of the complete pattern, for example, the skirt section illustrated at 18 in Fig. l, the front panel l9, which may extend to the top of the garment and only part of which is shown, the front skirt side, part of which is indicated at 25], the sleeve 26, the back waist 22, the front jacket 23 and the front jacket facing 24, as well as other garment parts which are not indicated in whole or in part in the removed portions of the strip Ill as indicated in the accompanying drawing, are provided with means for lengthening or shortening the pattern pieces or sections to suit and better fit the wearer for whom the garment is to be formed. In some instances, for example on the pattern section or piece i9, two of these lengthening and shortening means may be employed, one for the skirt end and the other for the waist end.

In each instance, the lengthening and shortening means consist, as is diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, of a heavy line 25 having enlarged dots thereon which extend transversely across the particular pattern section or piece, and is shaped centrally thereof to form a U-line 26 which leaves a resulting projecting tongue 21 on the part 28 of a given pattern piece, and a corresponding recess 29 on the companion part 28a, when and if the pattern piece in question is out along the lines 25, 26 to separate the parts 28, 28a one from the other to provide relative movement between said parts. The tongue 27 is provided at opposite side edges thereof with scale marks 36 which read in inches from the base of the tongue to the free end thereof, and these marks are adapted to register with the lower edge 3| of the part 28a and to register with this edge at either side of the tongue to provide proper alinement of the parts 28, 28a one with the other as well as to indicate the desired lengthening required in the particular pattern piece or section in question.

To shorten the pattern piece or section, the upper edge 32 of the tongue 27 is moved relatively to a double-scale representation as at 33 on the surface of the part 28a in direct alinement with the tongue 21. The scale markings read from the edge 34 inwardly upon the part 28a so as to indicate to the operator the number of inches or fractions thereof that it is desired to shorten the particular garment section by moving the parts 28, 28a one upon the other, as is illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawing.

In both adjustments, for the lengthening or shortening of particular garment pieces, it will be understood that the markings are clearly visible to the operator, thus simplifying this operation. It will of course be apparent that if the patter-n piece or section is of the required length, as printed, the need for severing the pattern on the lines 25, 26 is not necessary. For example, the lengths of all parts l8, I9, 20, 2|, 22, 23, 24, and so forth, may be accurate as arranged on the pattern. On the other hand, certain of the pattern sections for example the skirt portions, may require lengthening or shortening, and the others unchanged, and the same would apply to waist lengths and sleeve lengths.

It is also desirable to include, on certain ofthe pattern sections or pieces, tape measure representations as at 35 to actually show and designate to the operator the length of the patternpieces; It will thus be seen that in taking a body measurement, the operator will know whether it is essential to lengthen or shorten the particular pattern piece. It will also beunderstood that certain of the pattern pieces will becut to provide the necessary hems thereon, and each pattern piece will in actual practice-have markings thereon showing the stitch lines and also including conventional notches and the like for guiding the operator in thematching of pattern pieces one with respect to the other. However, as all such structural features' are well known in the art,they have been omitted in thepresent dia- 1 grammatic illustration in order to simplify the illustration and avoid confusion.

The lines which are represented in the various pattern pieces illustrated in. Fig. l of the drawing, arethe lines along which the pattern pieces are out in forming the corresponding garment parts therefrom, and the edge 36 of the strip H] represents the fold edge which is laid longitudinally of and in alinement withthe fold lBa of the fabric as is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. In other words, such pattern sections as at I9 will form collectively the two halves of the resulting garment piece when the garmentpieceis extended or unfolded. This will; be true of other pattern sections, whereas duplicates of the other pattern sections, for example the section l8, will be formed when the folded fabric 16 is out along the outline of the pattern section.

In the use of the elongated pattern strip ill, the instruction end i I will be served and the end of the strip adjacent the first pattern section I8 will be arranged upon one end of the folded fabric again as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing, .and the part 18a of the pattern section l8 will be pinned to the fabric, preferably along the sewing lines adjacent the edge portions of said part. The operator will now make the necessary measurements with regard to skirt length, and if the skirt must be lengthened or shortened; the pattern section l8 will be out along the lines 25, 26 to separate the part l8a from the part 181). After the necessary adjustment has been made, then the part lilb and the remainder of the next adjacent pattern sections arepinned to the fabric. This operation continues until the next adjustment means is reached in one of the pattern sections, for example, the section l9, and then again until the next adjustment is required, ,for example in the section 20. The operation further continues until all of the proper adjustments have been made and the complete strip I B has been attached to the fabric, afterwhich the garment pieces may be cut from the fabric along the outline of the several pattern sections or pieces.

Instead of following the above procedure, it will of course be understood thatthe separate garment pieces may be cut from the fabric immediately after adjustments have been made, but at no time should any of the garment pieces be cut out along the pattern linesuntil the adjustment has been made in the pattern section or piece. To make this clear, it will be understood that after the pattern section l8 has been adjusted, this section may be removed from the garment piece and any other garment pieces outlined by the patterns can be removed up to the next adjusting means, whichwould be for example in the pattern section I9 in the present illustration. If two large adjustable pattern sections are arranged side by side on the pattern strip, adjust ments should be made in both before any cutting takes place, j

In Fig. 8 of the drawing, one end portion of the combined sheets [2, I2a is shown in an open position merely to illustrate the arrangement of the sheets [2, I211 one with respect to the other along the perforated line l3, but in actual practice, the sheets will not be opened in this manner, but will be severed before opening as heretofore stated. On the other hand, Fig. 2 of the drawing shows one end portion of the independent sheet ll before thesheet l2 has been attached thereto to clearly illustrate the appearance of the markings M on each edge of the separate sheets to guide the operator in coupling the overlapped edges of .the sheets with each other to insure proper alinement of the various pattern sections or pieces which are printed, lithographed or otherwise arranged upon-one surface of the sheets. It will of course be understood that any type of inexpensive but yet strong and durable paper may be used, and if desired, transparent or substantially transparent sheet material may be employed. i

It will also be understood that while the lengthening and shortening means have been shown applied to patterns of the particular type and kind herein illustrated, that these shortening and lengthening means mayvbe applied to any type and kind of patterns. vention, in this regard, consists in providing in a single pattern piece or section, the transverse severing line which is irregular by virtue of the projecting tongue as at 2|, which extends from one of the resulting parts and registers with the other part, and is marked to indicate degrees of adjustment.

With 'a garment pattern of the type and kind illustrated in Fig. 1, it will be understood that the proper and correct layout of the several pattern pieces or sections on the elongated continuous strip l have been made by skilled or mastercraftsman, fully competent to solve these problems, thus relieving the user of the pattern of the care and attention which would otherwise be necessary in the laying or arrangement of independent pattern pieces upon the fabric from which the garment parts are to be cut. Aside from the adjustments which may be required, the user requires no skill or training in the proper cutting of the several garment parts.

The present application represents an improvement on the structures disclosed in patents granted to Koewing #1,419,634 June 13, 1922, and #1,529, ll1, March 10, 1925, and any reference heretofore made to the seam lines and other markings arranged on the patterns for matching one pattern with a companion pattern, may be as taught in the said patents or of any other type and kind well known in the art.

It is also one of the features of the invention to arrange the size adjusting means on such locations on the respective pattern sections or pieces as to not interfere withthe shaping of the garment, for example on the skirt portions, it is desirable to locate the lines 25, 26 across the garment at a point below the hips, whereas on the waist portions to locate these lines at a point above the belt but below the chest, and further whereas these lines will be located on the sleeves preferably adjacent the wrist portions thereof. In this way the contour or styling of the garment is not interfered with. Where two of the size adjusting means are provided on a single pattern piece, representing the full length of a garment, the locations will be substantially the same.

, It will be apparent that the heavy dotted lines Fundamentally the in- 25', 26 will be of a distinct'characterto represent said lines as the severing lines for dividing a pattern section into separate parts and will be quite distinct from the scale markings as at 33 or any other markings upon the complete pattern so that no confusion can possibly prevail. It may be said that the markings at 25, 26 are of the mortise and tenon contour, the tenon being represented by the tongue 21 and the mortise by the recess 29. Reference to mortise and tenon in the claims will be unedrstood to define a structure of this general type and kind.

. It will be understood that in cutting the pat tern sheet transversely on the lines 2526 for a lengthening or shortening adjustment, suitable directions will be given on each pattern sheet to indicate the manner of extending the cut across the entire sheet so as not to overlap pattern sections in this adjustment. For example, in the illustration at the left of Fig. 1, it would be desirable to cut the sheet across to the fold edge 36 to the left of the adjacent pattern sections appearing at such side of the sheet; whereas in cutting the pattern section 24, the cut to the fold edge 36 would pass to the right of the pattern section 23.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A garment pattern of the general outline of a garment piece to be formed therefrom, said pattern comprising a sheet of material having marked means at a predetermined position on one surface thereof and transversing the pattern to provide for the lengthening or shortening of the pattern, said means comprising markings of mortise and tenon contour adapted to be severed to form independent pattern parts with a tongue member on one part and a corresponding recess on the other part, and said tongue member of the one part registering with the other recessed part in the relative length adjustment of said parts one with respect to the other.

2. A garment pattern of the general outline of a garment piece to be formed therefrom, said pattern comprising a sheet of material having marked means at a predetermined position on one surface thereof and transversing the pattern to provide for the lengthening or shortening of the pattern, said means comprising markings of mortise and tenon contour adapted to be severed to form independent pattern parts with a tongue member on one part and a corresponding recess on the other part, said tongue member of the one part registering with the other recessed part in the relative length adjustment of said parts one with respect to the other, and one of said parts having graduated markings to indicate the degree of relative adjustment of said parts.

3. A garment pattern of the general outline of a garment piece to be formed therefrom, said pattern comprising a sheet of material having marked means at a predetermined position on one surface thereof and transversing the pattern to provide for the lengthening or shortening of the pattern, said means comprising markings of mortise and tenon contour adapted to-be severed to form independent pattern parts with a tongue member on one part and a corresponding recess on the other part, said tongue member of the one part registering with the other recessed part in the relative length adjustment of said parts one with respect to the other, the projecting tongue having graduated markings to indicate the degree of spacing of the parts one from the other,

and the recessedpart having markings with which the tongue member registers in indicating the degree of overlapping of the parts in the shortening of said pattern. I

4. The combination with a garment pattern sheet, of means comprising markings on one surface of a predetermined transverse section thereof for noting a severing line of the pattern into independent parts, the severed end portion of one of said parts having a projecting tongue and the other a recess, and means indicating the degree of relative adjustment of said parts one with respect to the other in lengthening or shortening said pattern.

5. The combination with the section or area of a garment pattern sheet least affected with respect to style, of an irregular transverse marking dividing the pattern transversely into two parts, one part having at least one projecting tongue extending into the area of the adjacent part, said pattern in the lengthening and shortening thereof being adapted to be out along said irregular marking to form relatively movable parts, and the tongue on said first named part forming means for guiding the alinement of said parts when relatively adjusted.

6. A garment pattern sheet having a series of pattern sections arranged throughout the length of said sheet in close proximity to each other and representing the lay of the different pattern sections of a complete garment upon a fabric from which the several garment pieces are adapted to be cut, and predetermined pattern sections of said sheet having transverse markings of irregular contour arranged thereon indicating lines for the severing of said predetermined pattern sections into separate relatively adjusted parts to provide for lengthening and shortening of such predetermined pattern sections.

7.. A garment pattern sheet having a series of pattern sections arranged throughout the length of said sheet in close proximity to each other and representing the lay of the different pattern sections of a complete garment upon a fabric from which the several garment pieces are adapted to be cut, predetermined pattern sections of said sheet having transverse markings of irregular contour arranged thereon indicating lines for the severing of said predetermined pattern sections into separate relatively adjusted parts. to provide for lengthening and shortening of such predetermined pattern sections, and means on one part of each severed section cooperating with the other part thereof to indicate the degree of adjustment of said parts relatively to each other.

8. A garment pattern sheet having a series of pattern sections arranged throughout the length of said sheet in close proximity to each other and representing the lay of the different pattern sections of a complete garment upon a fabric from which the several garment pieces are adapted to be cut, predetermined pattern sections of said sheet having transverse markings of irregular c'ontour arranged thereon indicating lines for the severing of said predetermined pattern sections into separate relatively adjusted parts to provide for lengthening and shortening of such predetermined pattern sections, means on each part of each severed section cooperating with the other part thereof to indicate the degree of adjustment of said parts relatively to each other, and the contour of said irregular markings forming means for maintaining alinement of said parts one with respect to the other.

9. An elongated garment pattern layout sheet for facilitating the cutting of a series of patterned garment parts from a folded strip of fabric, said sheet having a series of marked pattern sections arranged in nested close proximity one with respect to the other throughout the length of the sheet, the sheet at predetermined pattern sections from which skirt, waist and sleeve portions are adapted to be formed, having means providing for lengthening and shortening of said sections to satisfy measurements of the model with whom the garment is to be fitted, said means comprising transverse markings on said sheet of irregular contour for dividing that portion of the sheet so marked into separate portions whereby in cutting the sheet on said irregular markings, the separate parts may be relatively adjusted for lengthening or shortening.

10. An elongated garment pattern layout sheet for facilitating the cutting of a series of patterned garment parts from a folded strip of fabric, said sheet having a series of marked pattern sections arranged in nested close proximity one with respect to the other throughout the length of the sheet, the sheet at predetermined pattern sections from which skirt, waist and sleeve portions are adapted to be formed, having means providing for lengthening and shortening of said sections to satisfy measurements of the model with whom the garment is to be fitted, said means, comprising transverse markings on said sheet of irregular contour for dividing that portion of the sheet so marked into separate portions whereby in cutting the sheet on said irregular markings, the separate parts may be relatively adjusted for lengthening or shortening, one part forming by said irregular cut-out an outwardly projecting tongue, and means including said tongue indicating the degree of relative movement of said parts one with respect to the other.

11. In combination with garment pattern sheets of the character described, of a transverse marking on a predetermined pattern section outlining an irregular severing line whereby in severing said pattern section along said line, independent pattern parts will be formed of said section, said irregular severing line defining a projecting tongue on one of said parts, and means on said tongue cooperating with the other part to indicate degrees of relative adjustment of said parts one with respect to the other, when severed, in lengthening or shortening said pattern section.

12. A garment pattern sheet section of the character described having means characterized thereon transversing a predetermined portion of the pattern section and including an irregularity of mortise and tenon contour, said pattern section being adapted to be severed on said characterized means to form independent parts of said pattern section, said mortise and tenon irregularity having associated markings facilitating lengthening or shortening adjustments of said parts one with respect to the other, and said markings being characterized to distinguish the same from any other markings on said pattern section.

HENRY B. DONNING. 

